The University of Alabama has granted Maurice Smith a full release to transfer wherever he wants, including the University of Georgia, according to The Tuscaloosa News‘ Cecil Hurt.

The status of Smith’s transfer to Georgia would depend on approval of a waiver by the Southeastern Conference office.

“We have done everything that we can do institutionally to allow the conference to make the decision about whatever they decide is in the best interest of the conference and the SEC rules relative to Maurice Smith,” Saban said earlier today in a press conference. “So that is past us now. It is beyond us. We don’t really need to talk about that anymore and I don’t have any other comments to make about it. We’re trying to focus on the guys we have here and what we need to do to help those guys have a chance to be successful.”

This is big news for Smith and the Georgia Bulldogs, pending approval by the SEC, which issued a statement on the waiver process to the paper.

“The SEC does not comment on requests to waive SEC rules,” the SEC release said. “As part of the SEC waiver process, a due diligence procedure ensures that pertinent information from the involved parties is gathered. This information is gathered for the purpose of a thoughtful and appropriate consideration of the particular facts associated with each case. The intent is for the waiver process to be handled in an efficient but deliberate manner, so the timeline for resolution of a waiver request varies with each unique situation. The SEC does not provide waivers of SEC rules absent circumstances that demonstrate a clear reason for granting an exception to those rules. Each waiver request is reviewed on a case by case basis.”

Smith has made it known that he wants to play for the Georgia Bulldogs, but Alabama wouldn’t grant his release to transfer within the conference.

Smith will be a graduate transfer and will be able to play immediately.